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justice in their condemnation. Coming and speaking to them, he leaves them without pretence or excuse, John xv. 22. Yet will I not say that God sends the word for any continuance for these ends and designs only. For a short time he may do so, as our Saviour, sending forth his disciples to preach, supposeth that in some place their message may be totally rejected; and thereon appointeth them to shake off the dust of their feet as a testimony against them, or their being left without excuse. But these are but secondary and accidental ends of the word, where it is constantly preached. Wherefore God doth not so send it for their sakes alone. But on the other side, I dare say, that where God doth not by any means, nor in any degree, send his word, there are none of his elect to be saved; for without the word, they can neither be called nor sanctified. And if any of them are in any such place, to which he will not grant his word, he will by one providence or other snatch them like brands out of the fire, and convey them under the showers of it. And this we find verified by experience every day. The gospel therefore doth not pass up and down the world by chance, as we know in how great variety it hath visited and left nations and people, ages and times; nor is the disposal of it regulated by the wisdom and contrivance of men, whatever their work and duty may be in the dispensation of it; but all this, like the falling of the rain, is regulated by the sovereign wisdom and pleasure of God, wherein he hath respect only unto the purpose of his own eternal grace.

2. He doth, according to his sovereign pleasure, call and send persons to the preaching of it, to those to whom he will grant the privilege thereof. Every mau may not upon his own head, nor can any man upon his own abilities, undertake and discharge that work. This is the eternal rule and law of the gospel : "Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. But how shall meu call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him, of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher ? And how shall they preach, except they be sent ?" Rom. x. 13-15. that is, by God himself; for neither doth the apostle discourse, nor hath he any occasion in that place to discourse, concerning the ordinary call of persons unto an office in the church, whereunto the ministry of the church itself is required. But he treats of preaching the gospel in general unto all or any parts of the world, and of the love and care of God in sending of men to that purpose, whereby others coming to hear of him, may believe in him, call upon his name, and be saved. Hence he compares the work of God herein to that of his sending forth light and natural instructions unto all the world, by the Juminaries of heaven, wherein the ministry of men hath no

place, Rom. x. 18. Wherefore the preaching of the gospel depends absolutely on the sovereign pleasure of God in sending men unto that work; for how should they preach except they be sent? And he doth send them,

First, By endowing them with spiritual gifts, enabling them unto that work and duty. The gospel is the ministration of the Spirit; nor is it to be administered but by virtue of the gifts of the Spirit. These God gives unto them whom he sends by Jesus Christ, Eph. iv. 7, 8. &c. and these gifts are a sort of especial, peculiar, yea supernatural abilities, whereby men are fitted to, and enabled for the dispensation of the gospel. It is sad to consider what woful work they make who undertake this duty, and yet unfurnished with these abilities, that is, such who are sent of men, but are not sent of God. They harness themselves with external order, ecclesiastical mission, according to some rules agreed upon among themselves, with some other implements and ornamental accoutrements, whereon they undertake to be preachers of the gospel, as it were, whether God will or not. But these vanities of the Gentiles cannot give rain: the preaching of the gospel, as unto its proper ends, depends only on God's sending. When they betake themselves to their work, they find themselves at a loss for God's mission, at least they do so unto whom they pretend to be sent. I speak it not, as though outward order, and a due call, were not necessary in a church unto the office of a teacher; but only to shew that all order without a concurrence of the divine vocation, is of no validity nor efficacy. Now the dispensation of these spiritual gifts, without which the rain of the doctrine of the gospel falleth not, depends solely on the sovereignty of God. "The Spirit divideth unto every one as he pleaseth," 1 Cor. xii. 11. And it is evident that he doth not herein follow the rule of any human preparation. For whereas it is most certain, that the improvement of men's intellectual abilities in wisdom, learning, oratory, and the like, are exceedingly subservient to the use and exercise of these spiritual gifts, yet it is evident that God doth not always and regularly communicate them unto those who are so prepared; no, though they were acquired in a rational way, in order unto the work of the ministry. For how many may we see so qualified, and yet destitute of all relish of spiritual gifts, God preferring before them persons, it may be, behind and beneath them in those qualifications. As it was whilst all these affairs were transacted in an extraordinary manner at the first planting of the gospel. He did not choose out eminently the philosophers, the wise, the learned, the scribes, the disputers of this world, to communicate spiritual gifts unto, but generally fixed on persons of another condition and more ordinary capacity. Some of the wise and learned were chosen,

that none might think themselves excluded because of their wisdom and learning, things excellent in themselves; but many of this sort, as our apostle informs us, were not called and chosen unto this work. So something in proportion hereunto may yet be observed in the distribution of the ordinary gifts of the Spirit. At least it is evident, that herein God obligeth himself to no rules of such preparations or qualifications on our part. Nay, which is yet farther, he walks not herein in the steps of his own sanctifying and saving grace. But as he worketh that grace in the hearts of many, on whom he bestows not those gifts which are needful to enable men unto the dispensation of the gospel, so he bestows those gifts on many, unto whom he will not vouchsafe his sanctifying grace. And these things make evident that sovereignty, which God is pleased to exercise in his sending of persons unto the work of preaching the gospel, manifesting that the whole of it depends, like the giving of rain, absolutely on his pleasure. And when men exclusively unto this part of God's call will keep up a ministry, and so make a preaching of the gospel, it is but a lifeless image of the true dispensation of it.

Secondly, This communication of gifts unto men, is ordinarily accompanied with a powerful and effectual inclination of the minds of men, to undertake the work and engage in it, against those objections, discouragements, oppositions and difficulties, which present themselves unto them in their undertaking. There is so, I say, ordinarily, for there are more instances than one, of those who, having the word of prophecy committed unto them, instead of going to Nineveh, do consult their own reputation, ease and advantage, and so tack about to Tarshish. And there are not a few, who hide and napkin up their talents, which are given them to trade withal, though represented unto us under one instance only. But these must one day answer for their disobedience unto the heavenly call. But ordinarily that inclination and disposition unto this work, which accompanies the communication of spiritual gifts, is prevalent and effectual, so that the minds of men are fortified by it against the lions that are in the way, or whatever may rise up to deter them from it. So our apostle affirms, that upon the revelation of Christ unto him, and his call thereby to preach the gospel, immediately he conferred not with flesh and blood, but went into Arabia about his work, Gal. i. 16, 17. He would not so much as attend or hearken unto cavils and exceptions against the work, whereunto he was inclined and disposed, which is the way of a well-grounded firm resolution. And something in proportion hereunto is wrought in the minds of them, who undertake this work upon an ordinary call of God. And where this is not, much success is not to be expected in the work of

any, nor any great blessing of God upon it. When men go out hereunto in their own strength, without a supply of spiritual gifts, and engage in their work merely upon external considerations, without this divine inclination of their hearts and minds, they may seem to cast out water as out of an engine by violent compression, they will never be like clouds to pour forth showers of rain. This therefore also is from the Lord. Again,

Obs. III. God so ordereth things in his sovereign unsearchable providence, that the gospel shall be sent unto, and in the administration of it shall find admittance into what places, and at what times, seems good unto himself, even as he orders the rain to fall on one place and not on another. We have not wisdom to search into the causes, reasons, and ends of God's providential works in the world; and individual persons seldom live to see the issue of those which are on the wheel in their own days. But we have ground enough in the Scripture to conclude, that the principal works of divine providence in the world, and among the nations of the earth, do respect the dispensation of the gospel, either in the granting of it, or the taking of it away. It were an easy matter to evince by evident instances, that the principal national revolutions which have been in the earth, have been all of them subservient unto the counsel and purpose of God in this matter. And there are also examples, manifesting how small occasions he hath turned into great and signal use herein. But what hath been spoken may suffice to evince who is the Father and Author of this rain. And how this consideration may be improved unto the exercise of faith, prayer and thankfulness, is manifest.

This rain is said to fall often upon the earth, which respects the actual dispensation of the word, by them to whom it is com mitted. And we may hence observe,

Obs. IV. That it is the duty of those unto whom the dispensation of the word is committed of God, to be diligent, watchful, instant in their work, that their doctrine may, as it were, continually drop and distil upon their hearers, that the rain may fall often on the earth.-So hath God provided, that "the ridges of it may be watered abundantly, to make it soft (or dissolve it) with showers, and so he blesseth the springing thereof," Psal. lxv. 10. In a hot, parching and dry season, one or two showers do but increase the vehemence of the heat and drought, giving matter of new exhalations which are accompanied with some of the remaining moisture of the earth. Of no other use is that dead and lazy kind of preaching, wherewith some satisfy themselves, and would force others to be contented.

The apostles, when this work was committed unto them, would not be diverted from a constant attendance unto it by

any other duty, much less any other occasion of life, Acts vi. 4. See what a charge our apostle gives unto Timothy to this purpose, 2 Tim. iv. 1, 2, 3. And a great example hereof we have in the account he gives concerning his own ministry in Asia, Acts xx. 1. He declares when he began his work and ministry, the first day he came into Asia, ver. 18. that is, on the first opportunity, he omitted no season that he could possi bly lay hold upon, but engaged into his work, as his manner was in every place that he came unto. And, 2. In what manner did he teach? He did it, 1. Publicly, in all assemblies of the church, and others also, where he might have a quiet op portunity of speaking. And, 2. Privately from house to house, ver. 20. All places were alike to him, and all assemblies small or great, so he might have advantage of communicating unto them the knowledge of God in Christ. And, 3. What did he so declare unto them, or instruct them in? It was the whole counsel of God, ver. 27. the gospel of the grace of God, ver. 24. all things that were profitable unto them, ver. 20. in sum, repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ, ver. 21. And, 4. How did he dispense the word unto them? It was by a declaration of the will of God, ver. 27. by testifying the necessity of gospel duties, ver. 21. by constant warnings and admonitions to stir men up unto diligence in obedience, and to caution them of their dangers, ver. 31.

And,

5. When, or at what season did he thus lay out himself in the discharge of this duty? He did it night and day, ver. 31. that is, continually upon all occasions and advantages. He was one by whom God watered his vineyard every moment. And, 6. In what outward condition was he, and with what frame of spirit did he attend his work? He was in many temptations which befel him by the laying in wait of the Jews, ver. 19. or in continual danger of his life by the persecutions they stirred up against him. And as to himself, and the frame of his heart in this work, he carried it on with all humility of mind, and with many tears, ver. 19. 31. He was not lifted up with conceits of the glory, greatness and power of his office, of the authority over all the churches committed unto him by Christ, but with lowliness of mind, and meekness, was as the servant of them all, with that love, tenderness, compassion and fervency, as he could not but testify by many tears. Here is the great example for dispensers of the gospel. We have not his grace, we have not his gifts, we have not his ability or assistance, and so are not able to come up unto him; but yet certainly it is our duty to follow him, though haud passibus aquis, and to conform ourselves unto him according to our opportunity and ability. I confess I cannot but admire to think, what some men conceive concerning him or themselves. Can they say, that from the first

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